Eieth-wheel fob vehicles



J. w. MENHALL AND 0. G. CLEMENT.

FIFTH WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.26, 1918,

l ,3lfi5fi97, v Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

raivrEs W. MEnr-Inrm AND cncannns e. onEMEn'r, or EneEnron', Wisconsin, assren'ons 'ro iareriwar 'rEarLEn corrrnnr, or EneEE'ron, Wisconsin, a oonrorion on isconsin.

FIFTH-WHEEL FOR VlEI-lllEUlDlEl$.

nastier,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented tit? 23, 1919- Application filed August 2 6, 1918. Serial No. 251,383.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that we, JAMEs W. MENHAEL andCHARLEs G. CLEMENT, residing at Edgerton, in the county of Rock and the State of Wisconsin, "have invented'certain new and usefullmprovements in Fifth-Wheels for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the acco npanying drawings, forming a --part thereof. 7

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved construction of a fifth wheel for, vehicles, particularly designed for use in trailer vehicles, to adord loadcarrying springs between the load-carrying frame and the fifth wheel which shall not only cushion "the load in respect to vertical shocks, but also in respect to the longitudinal shocks arising upon sudden stopping, with some capacity for easing'the sudden starting of the load. e

It consists, in the elements and features of construction shown and described as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings! 1 Figure 1 is a partly sectional side elevation of one end portion of atrailer vehicle embodying. this invention, section-being made longitudinally of the vehicle through the transverse sills of the loadcarrying frame, as at the line, l1, on lFi 2.

ig. 2 is a plan View of the same with the longitudinal sills partly broken away. in the drawings, 1 represents oneof the rear wheels of a-tra'ctor or of the forward wheels of a trailer ofwhich 2 is a main transverse frame upon which is mounted the lower member, 3, of the fifth wheel.

t is the upper member of the fifth wheel which is provided at opposite sides with two pairs of up-sta'ndin pair of which there is pivoted a rocker, 5, upon the upper side of which there is seated, and to which there is firmly secured at the middle point of its length, a leaf spring,

6. The leaf springs are pivotally connected at one end (as shown, at the rear 'end) to the under side of the load carryin represented by the transverse sills, 7, and longitudinal bar, 7*, and at the forward end are provided with slide hearings on the under side of said load-carrying vframe. The pivotal connection mentioned is afiordis, up forward, as shown in the lugs, 2, to each 'der the spring, encounters v bending of frame, direction.

ed by means of angle brapkets, 8, secured to the cross-sill, 7, and the slide bearing at theforward end is similarly provided by angle brackets, 9, secured to the forward cross-sill, 7. For obtaining in the most complete manner thedesired efl'ect, the slide bearing mentioned is 'nally of the vehicle,

sloping up away from the mounting point of the leaf spring, that drawings; and across pin, 10, is extended acrossthe gap between the side lugs, 9 9*, of this bracket, 9, below the spring to retain it in place slidingly between the lugs and against the slide bearing. lit is not of vital importance which end of th leaf springs, (forward or rearend) has the pivotal connect1on and which has the slide bearing.

In operation it will b observed that the side spring, beside cushioning the load for up-and-down shocks, will operate to cushion 1 it as to longitudinal shocks such as result from sudden stopping, and to ease the starting action to some extent, as in certain familiar forms of traction springs; for it will be seen that longitudinal thrust or pull upon the load-carrying frame, operating forwardly, will tend to pull up therearpivotally-connected end of the spring against the yielding resistance of the springs, and at the same time the slide bearingof the load upon the forward end of the spring being inclined upward, such longitudinal v thrust or pull is yieldingly resisted as it tends to spring downward the forward end of, the springs and such downward movement is yieldingly resisted in that tendency by the springs. Similarly, upon rearward thrust or pull there is caused a downward movement of the rear pivoted end of the spring, which is yieldingly resisted by the to inclined longitudirear halfofrthe spring, while at the for-.

ward end thecross-pin, 10 eng ing unthe ym ding reslstance of the spring against the upward its, forward end; so that. both end portions of the s ring ofier yieldin resistance to the end tlirust or pull in either We claim v 1. In. combination with --a load-carrying frame, a fifth wheel below the same; rock ers pivotally mounted for movement in vertical fore-and-aft planes on the upper memher of the fifth wheel at opposite sides of its vertical axis; :EOre-a-nd-aft leafsprings secured rigidlyet the middle to the rockers respectively, each having at one end pivotal connection to the load-carrying frame, and

at the opposite end longitudinal slide been ing thereunder,

2 ln the construction such as set out in claim 1 foregoing, the longitudinal slide meme? bearing mentioned being inclined longitudi- I0 nally of the vehicle sloping away from the mounting point of the spring on the rocker In testimony whereof, We have hereunto set our hands at Edgerton, W iseonsin, this 23rd day of August, 1918,

JAMES W. MENHALL. CHARLES G. CLEMENT. 

